Pramana Research Journal ISSN NO: 2249-2976

Surface Morphology of Protective Film Formed On the

Mild Steel Surface Using Contact Angle Measurement

Prabhakar.P1, Karthiga.N2, Rajendran.S3

1
PG and Research Department of chemistry, APA College of Arts and Culture, Palani,
India. Email: apacacprabhu@gmail.com
2
Department of Chemistry, SBM College of Engineering and Technology, Dindigul,
India. Email: nkarthiga.dgl@gmail.com,
3
Corrosion Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, St.Antony’s College of Arts and
Sciences, Dindigul, India. Email: susairajendran@gmail.com

Abstract
Surface morphology of the metal or alloy is one of the important parameter in
corrosion studies. Many methods are available for analysing surface properties. One
such method is contact angle measurement. It is used to analyze the hydrophobic nature
of the protective film formed on the metal or alloy surface in the presence of inhibitor
systems. Contact angle measurement reveals that all the inhibitor systems have good
corrosion inhibition efficiency.

Keywords: contact angle measurement, corrosion, inhibitor, hydrophobic nature

1. Introduction
Corrosion of mild steel surface in well water medium can be controlled using plant
materials as inhibitors by forming protective film. Plant materials are low cost,
biodegradable, and readily available. Hence plant materials are used as corrosion
inhibitors. The corrosion inhibition properties of plant materials are due to the presence
of active principle or active ingredient. The active principle forms protective film on the
metal or alloy surface using their polar atoms such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur and
phosphorus. These atoms enrich with lone pair of electrons. These electrons form
bonding with metal ions. The nature of the protective film can be studied using contact
angle measurement. It is the important tool in the study of hydrophobic nature of the
protective film formed on the metal surface. The ability of a solid surface to be wetted by
a liquid can be classified by its wetting contact angle, θC: hydrophilic (θC < 90°),
hydrophobic (90° ⩽ θC ⩽ 150°), or super-hydrophobic (θC > 150°) [1]-[10].

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Plant Materials Used
The plant materials used for the present study are given in the Table 1.
Table 1. Plant Materials Used
S.No Name of The Plant Material Part of the plant
1 Allium sativam(Garlic bulb) Bulb
2 Justicia adhatoda L(Adhatoda vasica leaves) Leaves
3 Allium cepa L(Onion bulb) Bulb
4 Camellia sinensis L (Waste Tea dust) Leaves
5 Lawsonia inermis L( Henna leaves) Leaves

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2.2. Preparation of Inhibitor Solution

10 g of dried and powdered plant material was boiled with distilled water. It was
allowed to cool to attain the room temperature. The solution was filtered and the filtrate
was made up to 100 mL using distilled water. It was used as corrosion inhibitor in the
present study.
2.3. Preparation of the Environment for Surface Examination Studies
The environment selected for surface examination studies are given in Table 2. The
proportion consists of 90mL well water and 10 mL of inhibitor was chosen as the
effective environment to control corrosion.
Table 2. Preparation of the Environments for Surface Examination Studies
S.No
Inhibitor Environment
1 Aqueous extract of Allium 10 mL of Allium sativam bulb
sativam bulb (AEGB) extract + 90 mL of well water
2 Aqueous extract of Justicia 10 mL of Justicia adhatoda L leaves
adhatoda L leaves (AEAL) extract + 90 mL of well water
3 Aqueous extract of Allium cepa L 10 mL of Allium cepa L bulb extract
bulb (AEOB) + 90 mL of well water
4 Aqueous extract of Camellia 10 mL of Camellia sinensis L leaves
sinensis L leaves (AEWT) extract + 90 mL of well water
5 Aqueous extract of Lawsonia 10 mL of Lawsonia inermis L leaves
inermis L leaves (AEHL) extract + 90 mL of well water

2.4. Contact Angle Measurement Technique

The contact angle is the angle, conventionally measured through the liquid, where a
liquid–vapour interface meets a solid surface. It quantifies the wettability of a solid
surface by a liquid via the Young equation. A given system of solid, liquid, and vapour
at a given temperature and pressure has a unique equilibrium contact angle. However, in
practice a dynamic phenomenon of contact angle hysteresis is often observed, ranging
from the advancing contact angle to the receding contact angle. The equilibrium contact
is within those values, and can be calculated from them. The equilibrium contact angles
reflect the relative strength of the liquid, solid and vapour molecular interaction [11],
[12].
3. Result and Discussion
3.1. Analysis of Contact Angle Measurement
Contact angle measurement is useful in explaining the hydrophobicity of the
surface of the mild steel and surface of the protective film formed. When contact angle
increases, hydrophobicity also increases. Because of this, water repellent nature of the
surface increases and hence corrosion inhibition efficiency increases. The contact angle
images of mild steel surfaces in various environments are shown in Figure 1. The contact
angle values of polished mild steel, mild steel immersed in corrosive environment (well
water) and mild steel immersed in inhibitor systems are in given in the Table 3.

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Table 3. Contact Angle of Various Surfaces

S.No System Contact Angle in Degree

1 Polished mild steel 115.8
2 Mild steel immersed in well water 23.5
3 Mild steel immersed in aqueous
extract of Allium sativam bulb 46.7
4 Mild steel immersed in aqueous
extract of Justicia adhatoda L leaves 49.8
5 Mild steel immersed in aqueous
extract of Allium cepa L bulb 98.5
6 Mild steel immersed in aqueous
extract Camellia sinensis L leaves 102.8
7 Mild steel immersed in aqueous
extract of Lawsonia inermis L leaves 110.1

It is observed from the Table 3 that the contact angle for polished metal is very high.
For polished metal immersed in corrosive medium, the contact angle is very small. For
polished metal immersed in inhibitor systems the contact angle is in between that of the
above two systems. Thus contact angle measurement technique is useful in explaining
the hydrophobicity of metal surface and corrosion inhibition efficiency of the inhibitor
systems.

Figure 1a. Polished Mild Steel

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Pramana Research Journal ISSN NO: 2249-2976

Figure 1b. Mild Steel Immersed In Well Water Medium

Figure 1c. Mild steel Immersed In Aqueous Extract of Allium Sativam Bulb

Figure 1d. Mild Steel Immersed In Aqueous Extract of Justicia Adhatoda L

Leaves

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Figure 1e. Mild steel Immersed In Aqueous Extract of Allium Cepa L Bulb

Figure 1f. Mild Steel Immersed In Aqueous Extract Camellia Sinensis L

Leaves

Figure 1g. Mild Steel Immersed In Aqueous Extract of Lawsonia Inermis L

Leaves

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From the Figure 1 the contact angle of polished metal surface is 115.8, the
corrosive environment is 23.5. In the presence of corrosion inhibitors the contact
angle value increase to 46.7, 49.8, 98.5, 102.8, and 110.1.
The contact angle value is in the order of
AEHL (110.1) > AEWT (102.8) > AEOB (98.5) > AEAL (49.8) > AEGB (46.7)

Conclusion
The contact angle value is high in all the inhibitor systems. Contact angle
measurement studies reveal that all the inhibitors form protective layer on the mild steel
surface in well water environment. All the inhibitors exhibit relatively good corrosion
inhibition properties.

Acknowledgments
The authors are thankful to their respective managements for their help and
encouragement.

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